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Abstract:

Some embodiments include methods of forming patterns of openings. The
methods may include forming spaced features over a substrate. The
features may have tops and may have sidewalls extending downwardly from
the tops. A first material may be formed along the tops and sidewalls of
the features. The first material may be formed by spin-casting a
conformal layer of the first material across the features, or by
selective deposition along the features relative to the substrate. After
the first material is formed, fill material may be provided between the
features while leaving regions of the first material exposed. The exposed
regions of the first material may then be selectively removed relative to
both the fill material and the features to create the pattern of
openings.

Claims:

1-31. (canceled)

32. A method of forming a pattern of openings, comprising: forming a
plurality of organic polymer features over a semiconductor substrate;
forming a metal-containing material over and between the features;
forming organic fill material over the metal-containing material and
patterning the fill material to expose regions of the metal-containing
material adjacent the features; and removing the exposed regions of the
metal-containing material to create the pattern of openings over the
semiconductor substrate.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the organic polymer features comprise
one or more of photoresist, polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein the organic polymer features comprise
photoresist.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein the organic polymer features comprise
polystyrene.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein the organic polymer features comprise
polymethylmethacrylate.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein the openings have widths along a
cross-section, and further comprising extending said widths by removing
some of the fill material after forming the openings.

39. A method of forming a pattern of openings, comprising: forming a
plurality of organic material features over a monocrystalline silicon
substrate; forming a metal-containing layer along the features and across
spaces between the features; forming fill material over the
metal-containing layer and patterning the fill material to expose regions
of the metal-containing layer that are along the features; and removing
the exposed regions of the metal-containing layer selectively relative to
the fill material and to the features; the removal of the exposed regions
of the metal-containing layer creating the pattern of openings over the
semiconductor substrate.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the forming of the metal-containing
layer comprises spin-casting of a mixture containing a metallo-organic
composition dispersed in a solution comprising propylene glycol and/or
one or more propylene glycol derivatives.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising heating the
metal-containing layer to incorporate the titanium into titanium oxide,
and wherein said heating occurs before the provision of the fill
material.

43. A method of forming a pattern of openings, comprising:
photolithographically forming a plurality of photoresist features over a
monocrystalline silicon substrate, the features being spaced from one
another by gaps; trimming the photoresist features; treating the trimmed
photoresist features to render them insoluble during subsequent
spin-casting of a layer; spin-casting the layer across the features and
within the gaps; the spin-cast layer having an undulating topography; the
undulating topography comprising peaks over the features, and comprising
valleys within the gaps between the features; forming photoresist fill
within the valleys while leaving the peaks of the spin-cast layer
exposed; removing exposed regions of the spin-cast layer selectively
relative to the photoresist fill and to the features; the removal of the
exposed regions of the spin-cast layer creating the pattern of openings
over the substrate; and expanding the openings of said pattern by
patterning the photoresist fill, and then removing portions of the
spin-cast layer exposed after the patterning of the photoresist fill.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the spin-cast layer comprises a
titanium-containing metallo-organic dispersed in a solution that contains
propylene glycol and/or one or more propylene glycol derivatives.

Description:

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The technical field is methods of forming patterns, such as, for
example, methods of forming masking patterns over semiconductor
substrates.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Numerous applications exist in which it is desired to form
repeating patterns having a very short pitch. For instance, integrated
circuit fabrication may involve formation of a repeating pattern of
memory-storage units (i.e., NAND unit cells, dynamic random access [DRAM]
unit cells, cross-point memory unit cells, etc.).

[0003] Integrated circuit fabrication may involve formation of a patterned
mask over a semiconductor substrate, followed by transfer of a pattern
from the mask into the substrate with one or more etches. The pattern
imparted into the substrate may be utilized to form individual components
of integrated circuitry.

[0004] The patterned mask may comprise photolithographically-patterned
photoresist. Multiple separate photomasks (or reticles) may be utilized
in photolithographically creating a desired masking pattern in
photoresist. A problem that may occur is that each photomasking step
introduces risks of mask misalignment. Another problem is that each
photomasking step is another step in a fabrication process, which can
increase costs and reduce throughput relative to fabrication processes
having fewer steps.

[0005] A continuing goal of integrated circuit fabrication is to increase
integrated circuit density, and accordingly to decrease the size of
individual integrated circuit components. There is thus a continuing goal
to form patterned masks having increasing densities of individual
features. In cases in which the patterned masks comprise repeating
patterns of features, there is a continuing goal to form the repeating
patterns to higher density, or in other words to decreasing pitch. It
would be desired to develop new methods of forming patterns which enable
repeating patterns to be formed to high density.

[0006] There is also a continuing goal to reduce costs and increase
throughput. It is thus desired to develop methods of forming patterns
which enable repeating patterns to be formed with relatively few
photomasking steps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIGS. 1-9 are diagrammatic cross-sectional views of a portion of a
semiconductor wafer shown at various process stages of an embodiment.

[0008] FIGS. 10-12 are diagrammatic cross-sectional views of a portion of
a semiconductor wafer shown at various process stages of an embodiment.
The process stage of FIG. 10 is subsequent to that of FIG. 2, and
alternative to that of FIG. 3.

[0009] FIGS. 13-18 are diagrammatic cross-sectional views of a portion of
a semiconductor wafer shown at various process stages of an embodiment.
The process stage of FIG. 13 is subsequent to that of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Some embodiments include methods of forming patterns of openings
over semiconductor substrates. The openings may be subsequently utilized
for patterning one or more materials of the semiconductor substrates. For
instance, the openings may be utilized for patterning DRAM components,
NAND components, SRAM components, etc.

[0011] The embodiments may include formation of
photolithographically-patterned features over the substrate, and
subsequent utilization of the features to align a sacrificial spacer
material. Some of the sacrificial spacer material may then be removed to
leave the pattern of openings over the substrate. In some embodiments,
the sacrificial spacer material may comprise a metal. For instance, the
sacrificial spacer material may comprise a metallo-organic composition.
In some embodiments, the spacer material may be spin-cast across the
features. In such embodiments, the spacer material may be dispersed in a
solution having an appropriate viscosity so that the spacer material may
be provided uniformly and conformally across the features. For instance,
the metallo-organic composition may be dispersed in a fluid having
propylene glycol and/or one or more propylene glycol derivatives to an
amount sufficient to create an appropriate viscosity for conformal
deposition of the metallo-organic composition.

[0012] Example embodiments are described with reference to FIGS. 1-18.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a portion of a semiconductor construction 10. The
semiconductor construction includes a semiconductor substrate 12 having a
plurality of spaced features 14, 16 and 18 thereover.

[0014] Semiconductor substrate 12 may comprise, consist essentially of, or
consist of, for example, monocrystalline silicon lightly-doped with
background p-type dopant. The terms "semiconductor construction",
"semiconductive substrate" and "semiconductor substrate" mean any
construction comprising semiconductive material, including, but not
limited to, bulk semiconductive materials such as a semiconductive wafer
(either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials thereon), and
semiconductive material layers (either alone or in assemblies comprising
other materials). The term "substrate" refers to any supporting
structure, including, but not limited to, the semiconductive substrates
described above. In some embodiments the substrate may be a reticle
substrate, and specifically may be a substrate that is to be incorporated
into a reticle or photomask.

[0015] The semiconductor substrate may be homogeneous, or may comprise any
of numerous layers and materials associated with integrated circuit (IC)
and/or micro electromechanical system (MEMS) fabrication. For instance,
the semiconductor substrate may comprise multiple layers and materials
associated with DRAM fabrication, NAND fabrication, and/or SRAM
fabrication.

[0016] Features 14, 16 and 18 comprise a material 20. Material 20 may be
any suitable composition or combination of compositions, and in some
embodiments may comprise, consist essentially of or consist of organic
polymer (for instance, material 20 may comprise, consist essentially of,
or consist of one or more of photoresist, polystyrene and
polymethylmethacrylate). If material 20 consists of photoresist, features
14, 16 and 18 may be formed by initially forming a layer of photoresist
over a surface of substrate 12, and then using a photomask to
photolithographically pattern the photoresist and thereby create the
features. If material 20 comprises a composition other than photoresist,
the features 14, 16 and 18 may be formed by initially forming a layer of
material 20 over a surface of substrate 12, forming a
photolithographically-patterned photoresist mask over the layer, and then
transferring a pattern from the mask into the layer to create features.
Although the features 14, 16 and 20 are shown to be homogeneous, in other
embodiments the features may comprise two or more different materials.

[0017] Features 14, 16 of 18 are spaced from one another by gaps 22, 24,
26 and 28. Such gaps extend to an upper surface of substrate 12.

[0018] The individual features have top surfaces 15, and sidewall surfaces
17 extending from the top surfaces to an upper surface of substrate 12.

[0019] Referring next to FIG. 2, features 14, 16 and 18 are laterally
trimmed to reduce the lateral dimensions of such features along an
illustrated cross-section. In other words, features 14, 16 and 18 have a
first lateral width at the processing stage of FIG. 1, and are then
subjected to processing to reduce such lateral width to the second
lateral width which is illustrated in FIG. 2. The lateral trimming
extends the widths of gaps 22, 24, 26 and 28 along the illustrated
cross-section.

[0020] The lateral trimming of features 14, 16 and 18 may be accomplished
utilizing any suitable processing. For instance, if features 14, 16 and
18 consist of photoresist (or other organic polymer), the lateral
trimming may be accomplished utilizing an O2-based plasma. In some
embodiments the lateral trimming may utilize the O2-based plasma in
combination with one or more passivation additives (e.g.,
CH2F2). In other embodiments, the lateral trimming may utilize
wet chemical processing techniques that remove the outermost portion of
material 20. Example wet chemistry that may be used for the lateral
trimming may comprise an initial acid treatment of the outermost portions
of material 20, followed by solubilization of the acid-treated regions in
an aqueous base (for instance, tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide).

[0021] Although the laterally-trimmed features of FIG. 2 are shown to be
rectangular blocks, in some embodiments the lateral trimming may create
other geometric shapes. For instance, the lateral trimming may transform
features 14, 16 and 18 of FIG. 1 into dome-shaped features.

[0022] The laterally-trimmed features 14, 16 and 18 of FIG. 2 retain top
surfaces 15 and sidewall surfaces 17, but the locations of at least some
of such surfaces are shifted in the laterally-trimmed features relative
to the locations of such surfaces prior to the lateral trimming.

[0023] The lateral trimming of features 14, 16 and 18 may be omitted in
some embodiments, and accordingly the processing stage of FIG. 2 may be
omitted in some embodiments.

[0024] If features 14, 16 and 18 are an organic polymer (which may or may
not be photoresist, and in some embodiments may comprise, consist
essentially of, or consist of one or both of polystyrene and
polymethylmethacrylate), the features may be treated to render them
insoluble during subsequent spin casting of a material 30 (discussed
below with reference to FIG. 3), if the features would be soluble in a
solvent of the cast solution.

[0025] If features 14, 16 and 18 are an organic polymer (which may or may
not be photoresist, and in some embodiments may comprise, consist
essentially of, or consist of photoresist), such features may be treated
to render them inert to chemistry utilized during subsequent lateral
trimming of additional organic polymer (such subsequent lateral trimming
may occur at, for example, a processing stage described below with
reference to FIG. 7). The treatment may comprise, for example, formation
of a thin layer of protective material (not shown) along exposed surfaces
of features 14, 16 and 18; inducement of a chemical change (such as
chemical cross-linking) throughout the features 14, 16 and 18; and/or
inducement of a chemical change along exposed outer surfaces of the
features (such as through exposure to halogen in a plasma). In some
embodiments, at least some of the treatment of the features may occur
during formation and/or treatment of the material 30 (discussed below
with reference to FIG. 3). For example, if the treatment of the features
comprises cross-linking, at least some of such cross-linking may be
induced during a heat treatment (for instance, a bake) of material 30
utilized to convert material 30 to a metal oxide (discussed below).

[0026] Referring to FIG. 3, the material 30 is formed over features 14, 16
and 18, and within the gaps 22, 24, 26 and 28 between the features.
Material 30 is conformal relative to the features, and accordingly has an
undulating topography comprising peaks 32 over the features, and
comprising valleys 34 within the gaps between the features.

[0027] In some embodiments, material 30 may correspond to a spin-cast
layer. The layer is formed by spin-casting a mixture having a suitable
viscosity to form the shown conformal layer. The viscosity may be
adjusted by including propylene glycol and/or one or more propylene
glycol derivatives within the mixture utilized for the spin-casting. An
example propylene glycol derivative is propylene glycol monomethyl ether
acetate. In some embodiments, the mixture utilized for spin-casting may
comprise a metallo-organic dispersed in a solution that contains
propylene glycol and/or one or more propylene glycol derivatives. For
instance, the solution may comprise a titanium-containing metallo-organic
dispersed in a solution containing propylene glycol monomethyl ether
acetate to a concentration of from about 1 weight percent to about 5
weight percent. If the spin-cast material includes a titanium-containing
metallo-organic, such metallo-organic may be subsequently treated under
conditions that convert at least some of the titanium to titanium oxide;
and in some embodiments may be treated under conditions that transform an
entirety of material 30 to titanium oxide. Such conditions may include a
heat treatment, such as, for example, treatment at a temperature of from
about 80° C. to about 140° C. Such heating may form the
titanium oxide through sol-gel reactions.

[0028] Material 30 may be formed to any suitable thickness, and in some
embodiments may be formed to a thickness of less than or equal to about
50 nanometers, less than or equal to about 40 nanometers, less than or
equal to about 30 nanometers, or even less than or equal to about 20
nanometers.

[0029] Material 30 may be referred to as a sacrificial material, in that
some of the material is subsequently removed to form openings extending
to substrate 12 (with such removal being described below with reference
to FIG. 6).

[0030] Referring to FIG. 4, a fill material 36 is formed over material 30.
The fill material fills the valleys 34 of the undulating topography of
material 30, and in the shown embodiment also covers the peaks 32 of such
undulating topography. Material 36 may comprise any suitable material,
and in some embodiments may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist
of an organic polymer. In some embodiments, material 36 may comprise,
consist essentially of, or consist of one or more of photoresist,
polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 5, construction 10 is subjected to processing
which removes material 36 from over peaks 32 of the undulating topography
of material 30, while leaving material 36 within the valleys 34 of such
undulating topography. The processing may comprise an etch and/or may
comprise planarization. In the shown embodiment, the removal of material
36 has caused an upper surface of material 36 to be recessed relative to
the upper surface of material 30. In other embodiments (not shown), the
upper surface of material 36 may not be recessed relative to the upper
surface of material 30 after removal of some of material 36, but may
instead be flush with the upper surface of material 30, or above the
upper surface of material 30. The fill material 36 remaining at the
processing stage of FIG. 5 fills the valleys 34 of the undulating
topography of material 30, while leaving the peaks 32 of such undulating
topography exposed.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 6, exposed portions of material 30 are
selectively removed relative to a surface of substrate 12, and relative
to materials 20 and 36, to create openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50
extending to the upper surface of substrate 12. The removal of material
30 may comprise an anisotropic. etch. In embodiments in which material 30
is an oxide, the surface of substrate 12 consists of silicon, and
materials 20 and 36 are photoresist, the selective removal of material 30
may utilize fluorine-based chemistry.

[0033] The formation of openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 results in
creation of a plurality of additional features 52, 54, 56 and 58 which
alternate with the original features 14, 16 and 18.

[0034] The openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 correspond to a pattern of
openings formed across a substrate 12. In subsequent processing, the
pattern of such openings may be utilized during fabrication of one or
more IC components within substrate 12. For instance, dopant may be
implanted through the openings to form a desired dopant pattern within
substrate 12 and/or an etch may be conducted through the openings to
transfer a desired pattern into substrate 12. Alternatively, additional
processing may be conducted relative to materials 36 and 30 to alter the
pattern of the openings. For instance, FIG. 7 shows construction 10 after
fill material 36 has been subjected to conditions which reduce a lateral
width of the fill material along the illustrated cross-section.

[0035] If the fill material 36 is photoresist, the conditions utilized for
reducing the lateral width of the fill material may correspond to
photolithographic patterning of the fill material and/or to lateral
trimming of the fill material with O2-based plasma chemistry or with
wet chemistry. In embodiments in which material 20 is photoresist, the
treatment of material 20 discussed above with reference to FIG. 2 for
rendering material 20 inert during lateral trimming may enable features
14, 16 and 18 to remain substantially unchanged during the lateral
trimming of fill material 36.

[0036] The reduction of the lateral width of fill material 36 exposes
portions of material 30 within the additional features 52, 54, 56 and 58.
FIG. 8 shows construction 10 after such portions are removed, which
effectively corresponds to lateral trimming of regions of material 30
within the additional features 52, 54, 56 and 58. The lateral trimming of
materials 30 and 36 results in lateral trimming of the additional
features 52, 54, 56 and 58, and lateral expansion of the openings 40, 42,
44, 46, 48 and 50 along the shown cross-section. Although the additional
features 52, 54, 56 and 58 are shown to be approximately centered between
features 14, 16 and 18, in other embodiments the additional features may
be offset within the gaps between features 14, 16 and 18. Also, although
the additional features 52, 54, 56 and 58 are shown to have about the
same widths as features 14, 16 and 18, in other embodiments the
additional features may have different widths than the initial features
14, 16 and 18. Additionally, although the shown embodiment forms only one
additional feature between each of the original features 14, 16 and 18
(to accomplish pitch doubling), in other embodiments multiple additional
features may be formed between the original features so that an original
pitch may be tripled, quadrupled, etc.

[0037] In some embodiments, the processing of FIGS. 3-8 has aligned the
additional features 52, 54, 56 and 58 with the original features 14, 16
and 18, without utilization of additional photomasking steps besides the
step used to initially form the features 14, 16 and 18 (i.e., the
photomasking described with reference to FIG. 1.). This may reduce risks
of mask misalignment relative to processing utilizing additional
photomasks, and may also improve throughput relative to processing
utilizing additional photomasks.

[0038] The openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 are together a pattern of
openings extending across the substrate 12. The pattern of such openings
may be utilized for creating a desired pattern within the underlying
substrate 12. For instance, FIG. 9 shows construction 10 after an etch
has been utilized to extend openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 into
substrate 12. The formation of the pattern within substrate 12 may
correspond to patterning of various components associate with DRAM, SRAM
and/or NAND. For instance, the patterning may be utilized to create NAND
gates within substrate 12.

[0039] Although FIG. 9 shows construction 10 after openings 40, 42, 44,
46, 48 and 50 have been used during etching into substrate 12, in other
embodiments the openings may be used for other processing alternatively
to, or additionally to, the etching. For instance, openings 40, 42, 44,
46, 48 and 50 may be utilized to define locations for deposition of
dopant within substrate 12.

[0040] The initial size of openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 (i.e., the
size of the openings at the processing stage of FIG. 6) may be determined
by the thickness of the conformal sacrificial material utilized during
formation of the openings (e.g., the material 30 utilized in the
embodiment of FIGS. 3-6). FIGS. 1042 illustrate an embodiment of the
invention similar to that of FIGS. 3-6, but in which a different
thickness of conformal material is utilized to create the openings.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 10, construction 10 is shown at a processing
stage subsequent to that of FIG. 2, and alternative to that of FIG. 3.
Specifically, FIG. 10 shows construction 10 at a processing stage in
which a relatively thin layer of conformal material 60 is formed across
features 14, 16 and 18, and across the gaps 22, 24, 26 and 28 between
features. Material 60 may comprise any suitable composition, and may, for
example, comprise any of the compositions discussed above relative to
material 30. Material 60 may be formed by spin-casting in a manner
analogous to that discussed above regarding the spin-casting of material
30.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 11, fill material 36 is formed within the gaps
22, 24, 26 and 28, and the construction is shown at a processing stage in
which the material 60 over features 14, 16 and 18 is exposed. Such
processing stage may be analogous to that discussed above with reference
to FIG. 5, and may be formed with processing analogous to that discussed
above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 12, exposed regions of material 60 are removed to
form openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50; and to also form the features
52, 54, 56 and 58 comprising materials 60 and 36. The openings 40, 42,
44, 46, 48 and 50 at the processing stage of FIG. 12 are narrower than
analogous openings at the processing stage of FIG. 6, due to material 60
being thinner than material 30. The processing of FIGS. 3-6 and 9-11
illustrates that lateral widths of openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 may
be tailored by tailoring a thickness of a conformal material utilized
during creation of the openings.

[0044] The processing of FIGS. 1-12 utilizes conformal materials (30 are
60) formed across features (14, 16 and 18) and across the gaps between
the features (gaps 22, 24, 26 and 28). If subsequent processing is
utilized to expand openings formed along features 14, 16 and 18 (for
instance, the processing described above with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8
for expanding openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50), such processing
laterally etches both a fill material (36), and a conformal material
underlying the fill material (for instance, the conformal material 30 of
FIGS. 7 and 8). It may be advantageous in some embodiments to avoid
forming the conformal material across the gaps between features 14, 16
and 18 so that lateral etching of such conformal material may be avoided
in subsequent processing. FIGS. 13-18 illustrate an example embodiment in
which conformal material is formed selectively along features 14, 16 and
18, relative to formation across an exposed surface of substrate 12.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 13, construction 10 is shown at a processing
stage analogous to that of FIG. 2. The construction includes the features
14, 16 and 18, spaced from one another by gaps 22, 24, 26 and 28. The
features are shown with crosshatching to assist in identifying the
features at subsequent processing stages. The crosshatching is not being
used to indicate the composition of the features, and specifically is not
being used to indicate that the features 14, 16 and 18 of FIG. 13 are
different than those of FIG. 2.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 14, a conformal material 70 is selectively formed
along the top and sidewall surfaces 15 and 17 of the features 14, 16 and
18, relative to an exposed surface of substrate 12. Thus, the conformal
material extends along the surfaces of features 14, 16 and 18, but does
not extend across the majority of the surface of substrate 12 within gaps
22, 24, 26 and 28. There is some amount of substrate 70 along the surface
12 within such gaps, however, due to the material 70 extending laterally
outwardly from sidewall surfaces 17 of the features 14, 16 and 18.

[0047] Material 70 may be formed by any suitable method, and in some
embodiments may be formed by selective atomic layer deposition (ALD),
selective vapor depositions, etc. In order to obtain precise control of
the dimensions of small features, it may be desired that material 70 be
deposited with self-limiting deposition techniques, such as, for example,
ALD or similar. The precise control of thickness and conformality that
may be afforded by such techniques may enable material 70 to be deposited
to within tight tolerances, which may enable optimized control of
critical dimensions utilized in pattern formation.

[0048] The compositions of material 20, the upper surface of substrate 12
and material 70 may be chosen to enable material 70 to be selectively
deposited on surfaces of material 20 relative to the upper surface of
substrate 12. In some example embodiments, material 20 of the features
14, 16 and 18 may comprise photoresist, the upper surface of substrate 12
may comprise silicon, and material 70 may comprise polysiloxane
(utilizing methodologies analogous to those described by Shirai et. al.,
Journal of Photopolymer Science and Technology, Volume 8, pp 141-144
(1995)). In some example embodiments, material 20 of the features 14, 16
and 18 may comprise titanium nitride, the upper surface of substrate 12
may comprise borophosphosilicate glass, and material 70 may comprise
copper (utilizing methodologies analogous to those described by Park et.
al., Journal of the Korean Physical Society, Volume 39, pp 1076-1080
(2001)). In some example embodiments, material 70 may comprise
selectively-deposited metal (utilizing methodologies analogous to those
described by Sankir et. al., Journal of Materials Processing Technology,
Volume 196, pp 155-159 (2008)). In some example embodiments, material 70
may comprise selectively-deposited silicon dioxide (utilizing
methodologies analogous to those described by Lee et. al., Semicond. Sci
Technol., Volume 18, pp L45-L48 (2003)). In some example embodiments,
material 70 may comprise selectively-deposited HPO (utilizing
methodologies analogous to those described by Chen et. al., Mat. Res.
Soc. Symp. Proc., Volume 917, pp 161-166 (2006)). In some example
embodiments, material 70 may comprise selectively-deposited polymer
(utilizing methodologies analogous to those described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,869,135).

[0049] Referring to FIG. 15, fill material 36 is formed over material 70
and within the gaps 22, 24, 26 and 28 between features 14, 16 and 18.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 16, some of the material 36 is removed to expose
the material 70 over features 14, 16 and 18. Such removal may be
accomplished utilizing processing analogous to that discussed above with
reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 17, material 70 is removed to form openings 40,
42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 extending to substrate 12. The removal of material
70 is selective relative to materials 20 and 36, as well as relative to a
material along the upper surface of substrate 12 in the shown embodiment.
Such selective removal may be accomplished with any suitable processing.
The formation of openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 leaves a plurality of
features 52, 54, 56 and 58, with such features consisting of fill
material 36.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 18, features 52, 54, 56 and 58 are reduced in
lateral width along the shown cross-section, resulting in lateral
expansion of openings 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50. If material 36 comprises
photoresist, the reduction in lateral width of features 52, 54, 56 and 58
may be accomplished with photolithographic processing and/or with the
lateral trim methodologies discussed above with reference to FIG. 2.

[0053] A difference between the processing of FIGS. 17 and 18 relative to
that of FIGS. 6-8 is that only material 36 is removed in the processing
of FIGS. 17 and 18, rather than the removal of materials 36 and 30 in the
processing of FIG. 6-8. Such may provide an advantage to utilization of
the processing of FIGS. 13-18 relative to that of FIGS. 6-8 in some
embodiments, in that it may remove at least one process step.

[0054] The openings 40, 42, 46, 48 and 50 may be utilized for subsequent
processing of substrate 12, analogous to the processing discussed above
with reference to FIG. 9.

[0055] In compliance with the statute, the subject matter disclosed herein
has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and
methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the claims are
not limited to the specific features shown and described, since the means
herein disclosed comprise example embodiments. The claims are thus to be
afforded full scope as literally worded, and to be appropriately
interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.

Patent applications by Gurtej Sandhu, Boise, ID US

Patent applications by John Smythe, Boise, ID US

Patent applications by Ming Zhang, Boise, ID US

Patent applications by Scott Sills, Boise, ID US

Patent applications by MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Patent applications in class Layers formed of diverse composition or by diverse coating processes

Patent applications in all subclasses Layers formed of diverse composition or by diverse coating processes